Who We Are

Citizens Advice County Durham is one of 280 local Citizens Advice across England and Wales who form a network of national Citizens Advice.

Citizens Advice was first established in 1939 to meet the needs of the civilian population in war time.  The following decades saw us passionately battling injustice and poverty in society helping those with issues not to dissimilar to what we see now.  Today we are a modern, forward thinking, effective charity powered by the energy and vitality that comes from our large team of dedicated staff and volunteers.

We provide free, confidential, impartial advice to those who need our help to overcome their problems and give them a way forward.  Sometimes a person has more than one problem which is often linked so we give an all–round service to make sure people get fully supported.  We give advice on a range of topics both by face to face and over the phone. Find out What we do and how to Contact us

2023/24 was a really busy year for us and the network. Collectively, we supported over 21,000 clients in County Durham with over 93,000 issues. This culminated in an income gain of over £30 million for the County’s residents.  The Citizens Advice network directly saved government and public services at least £717 million.  For every £1 spent on the service, our advice benefited our clients by £14.  We make a difference, 2 in every 3 people has their problem solved.  Helping people solve their problems can stop issues getting worse and which can save money further down the line.

Citizens Advice County Durham is made volunteers and paid staff serving a local population of over 522,000 (2021).  Our Board is made up of 8 trustees who are volunteers.  Details on volunteering for us can be found here and our latest vacancies here

We are a voice for people on the issues that matter to them.  With an active and passionate research and campaigns team, we have made an impressive impact on Government policies over the years.  This evidence helps us identify emerging issues, understand what is causing them and make recommendations on how to fix the problems.  National Citizens Advice is also the statutory consumer watchdog for the energy and post industries, meaning we advocate on behalf of consumers in these markets.

As well as looking after people in our community, we look after our volunteers and paid staff by providing a friendly and welcoming environment in which to work where everyone feels valued, appreciated and part of a team.  We are committed to equality and diversity and offer a range of opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds.

We promote good mental health and have bronze status in The Better Health at Work Awards which recognises the efforts of employers in addressing health issues within the workplace.  We frequently run fun activities for our volunteers and paid staff to get involved with if they wish and have clubs such as book, keep fit, film and photography.